We Generated Over #400m On Change of Birth Dates Alone My First Year In Office - JAMB Registrar, Prof. Oloyede Reveals

As the 2021 Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME) is now with a definite date to commence registration of April 8, 2021, the registrar of the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB), Prof. Ishaq Oloyede, shared this news some weeks ago that the organisation generated #400 million from change of birth dates by applicants in his first year in office.

Prof. Oloyede was appointed JAMB Registrar in July 2016 shortly after his tenure as Vice Chancellor of the University of Ilorin.

The registrar said the major reason behind the large turn out for "Change of date of birth"  by most students was in order to meet the requirements to participate in the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC).

He stated this in a presentation he made at the 2021 Batch ‘A’ pre-mobilisation workshop of the NYSC for institutions and other stakeholders in Abuja.

He said: “In my first year as registrar, we collected over #400 million from people who wanted to change their dates of birth. I was wondering why they wanted to change their dates of birth. We are not looking for owo eje (blood money) and that was why we put strict instruction.

“If you want to change anything, you must show reasons. That is why change of names and birthdays are going down now because they know that it is not going to be easy. We look at the primary school certificate. The best way to know a criminal is that he or she doesn’t have primary school certificate.

“If you ask prospective corps members, they will tell you that many of the reasons given by JAMB for rejection is NYSC syndrome. When somebody wants to cut his age and you know in our portal, you must give reasons for rejection. The phrase we put there is ‘NYSC syndrome’. That is, you want to cut your age to be able to meet the NYSC.

“Before any change can be effected on the date of birth, facts relied upon must be proven beyond reasonable doubt. To prove it, due diligence is followed, carefully examined. Nobody in JAMB approves any change of birth except me.”

“Anyone that will be approved must be escalated to me. I do not delegate it. Nobody can approve a change of birth except the registrar, personally. I am the only one with the password that can approve it. If it is done, then I am culpable. Nobody has access except me.”

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